Windshield wiper arm attachment



June 8, 194s.

l. NESSON WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM ATTACHMENT Filed March 3l, 1945 Patented June 8, 1948 2,443,113 WINDSHIELD WIPER` ARM ATTACHMENT y Israel Nesson, Lynn, Mass., assigner to Max Zaiger, Swampscott, Mass.

Application March 31, 1945, Serial No. 585,924

This invention relates to windshield wiper attachments, and pertains more particularly to improvements in the separable coupling between the end of the wiper arm and the clip or hanger carried by the wiper blade.

The principal purpose of the invention is to provide a durable, eflcient and easily operable coupling which ensures a smooth, noiseless pivotal connection between the arm and blade and which locks the parts together until an automatically actuated latch is manually released.

Further objects of the invention reside in the improved features of the attachment hereinafter described in connection with the recommended embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, as set forth in the appended claims; but it will be understood that the structural details of the device herein illustrated and described may be varied to suit particular installations without departing from the essence of the invention as defined in said claims. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view of the central portion of a wiper blade and the end portion of a wiper arm with the improved coupling devices and associated parts of the blade and arm sh'own in section Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the assembled coupling;

Fig. 3`is an end View of the coupling, looking to the right of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and.

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the coupling elements, in side elevation, on the scale of Fig. 1.

The wiper blade II is equipped with a `clip or connector I2 which may be hinged to a sub-clip or saddle I3 as described in Zaiger Patent No. 2,280,566, issued April 21, 1942. The :clip I2 consists of a U-shaped metal stamping having upstanding sides I4 apertured to receive a pivot pin I5 which may be a double headed rivet as shown. The clip may be permanently or detachably connected to the blade saddle I3, or directly attached to the blade, as desired, so that it is normally carried by the blade The forward end of the wiper arm I6 is equipped with a U-shaped end piece or housing I'I having depending sides I8 which embrace and shield the clip sides I4 and which are preferably formed with outwardly deflected channel portions I9 adapted to receive the heads of the pivot I5 when the parts are sli-d together. Thel arm end also carries a pivot-engaging, bearing member 20 and a latch member 2 I, and the rearward portions of these members as well as the-rearward part of the housing Il in which saidparts are disposed, may be affixed to the arm by a com- 5 Claims. (Cl. 15-250) mon rivet 22, or other fastening. The latch bar 2I is preferably resilient and mounted on the underside of the arm end in spaced parallel'relation to the top portions of the parts I'I and 20, so that the latch may yield upwardly when the coupling elements are connected or be moved upwardly to release them, as hereinafter explained.

The bearing member 20 has depending side portions 23 fitting between the clip sides I8 and notched at 24 to receive the pivot I5 and provide a bearing thereon between the hooks or tongues 25 and 26 at the forward end of the member 20. The slots or recesses 24 are disposed parallel to the top of the housing or shield `I1`,"so that the elements may be connected bya forward, endwise movement of th'e arm relative to the bladey thereby engaging the pivot in said recesses.

The latch bar 2l consists of a formed spring member having a forward tip 21 projecting beyond the sides I4 of the shield Il, when the parts are connected as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, where it may be lifted by a fmger; and one or more latching dogs 2B depend from its forward end between the side portions 23 and normally engage in front of the pivot I5 to lock the coupling elements in operative position. The bottom edges 29 of the `downwardly projecting dog's 28 are inclined toward the tip 21 and preferably concaved slightly, so that they will readily ride over the pivot I5 and thus elevate the latch bar when the coupling is connected by an endwise movement of the Wiper arm, as aforesaid. After the dogs have passed over the pivot, they automatically drop into locking position in front of the pivot, under spring tension of the resilient latch bar.

The latch bar of the detached wiper` arm is preferably supported by stop members, so that its tip 2'I will be disposed above the pivot I5 and permit the dogs to slide over the pivot, when the arm is connected to the blade in the manner described. For this purpose, the lower tongues 26 of the bearing member 2i) are bent inwardly to provide indented stops 3l] engageable'by the bottom edges of the respective dogs 28 to limit downward movement of the latch bar.

By utilizing the improved coupling herein described, th'e arm I6 is thus securely attached to the Wiper blade II and the pivotal connection allows free swinging movement of the arm relative to the blade, without the noise and wear characteristic of convention attachments which are not only loose `and inefficient but alsov likely to become disconnected when the blade is raised from the windshield. The coupling is easily assembled and effectively locked against accidenn tal separation, regardless of the relative angular positions of the arm and blade, yet the latch may be quickly released merely by lifting its protruding tip with the thumb or finger. The shield I1 serves to enclose and conceal the coupling elements, and provides a protective housing having a smootngunbrokensurface which resists rusting and-enhances the -appearance of theassembled coupling. Y

It will be understood that the rearward end of the wiper arm (not shown) maybe suitably connected to a motor which swings the arm and Wiper blade across the surface of `a windshield;

and it will be observed th'at the bearing `an'dloelring elements of the coupling are carried -by the wiper arm which seldom requires replacement,

' farm and having depending sides adapted to embrace ythe clipv sides, a pivot-pin engaging member' fastened 'tothe' arm and having spaced side .martinm-receivable' between the sides of the clip,

rs-ai'd-sidefportions having end slots adapted to whereas the connector on the wiper blade, 'which frequently requires replacement, is of relatively s imple'andeconomieal eonstru'etion` Y -Ig-claimp: i

1;. yAg-coupling for separably andfpivotally con-- necting awindshield Wiper arm to a lwiper blade, comprising a Clip-carried by the blade .and having spa-ced sides land apivot pin extendingbetwe.ensaid sides, a housing 'carried by the wiper arm and having sides adapted to embrace the sides, -a pivot-pin engaging ymember fixed' between thefsides; of the Al-iousing 'and having a depellsll'le` fpx'tion provided Withan end recess adapted toreceive the pivot pin and constitute a bearing-thereon, and-a movable latch fixed relatlvete the end oi the arm and having-a down- Wardly projecting dog adapted to engage the pivot pinvfor releasably locking-said member on said pin, Ithe latchbeing moved by manual pressure when the'coupling is to be detachedfsaid dog having a bottom surface inclined toward the for ward end of the latch and adapted to ride over the pivot V,pin and elevate the latch while the-parts are. being coupled by lendvvise movement -ofj` the wiper arm relative to the v.blade clip.

A 2. A coupling for separably andpivotally connecting a windshield wiper arm to a Wiper blade, .l

comprising a clip fastened to the blade and having upstandingsides Vand a pivot pin extending between saidsides, a shield carried by the wiper arml vand having depending sides adapted to embrace the clip sides,.a pivot-pin engaging member fastenedy to the arm and having spaced side; portions. receivable between the sides of the clip, said side .portions having ends and endslots adapted toreceive said pivot pin and constitute a bearing thereon, and a flexible and resilientlatch bar lxed tothe varm between said side portions and a'daptedto engage thepivot pin for -releasably locking the. coupling elements, the latch being manually movably flexed to unlock the coupling.

"3A A coupling for separably and pivotally `connecting a windshield Wiper arm to a wiper blade, comprising ay clip fastened to the -blade and having upstanding sides and a pivot pin extending between said sides, a shield carried by the wiper arm..` andhavingdepending sides adapted to embrace the clip sides, a pivot-.pin engaging 4member'fastened to the arm and; having spaced side portions receivable betweenfthe sides 'of the clip, said side portions havingv end slots adapted to lreceive said pivot pin and lconstitute a. bearing thereon, anda resilient latch bar fixed to the arm and movable upwardly and downwardly between saidv side portions and adapted to engage thepiv- Git-pin forireleasably locking the coupling eleinenta Saidlatchbar .havinga4 pairof spaced-des` theclip, thereby'raising the latch'b l springing'to lockingpositionv when the dogsfpass.

,receive said pivotpin and constitute a bearing thereon', 'and a resilient latch bar xed to the arm" anclmovable upwardly and downwardly between said side portions and adapted to engage the Ypivot pin -for releasably lockingthe coupling elements, said latchbar having a5 pair. of ,snagei, depending dogs, each fhaving', an ,incline edge slidable over the pivotpinwhen the-parts ar being coupled by endwise movement-of .the arm relative to the clip, .thereby V,autom to lock the. parts together when the dogspass 1ver and drop in front of thepivotpin;thesidesofsaid member having indented stops jengageabll .by said dogs to limit downward movementfof the latch bar.

i 5. A couplingl for .sepaiably v and pivotallybennecting awindshieldwiper arm to. awiper' blade. comprising a, clip fastenedto the blade adlhauing upstanding sides and a pivot. pin ext" ing between said sides'a shieldl carried `by thewiper arm .and having depending sidesa'dapted tol ernbrace', the clip sides, a pivot-pin',engaginglnieniber fastened tothearmand having spaced sidepori tions receivable betweenn the sides ofthe cli aid side' portions having end slots adapted tofrepeive said pivotr pinV and constitute a bearing` thereon, and a resilient latchfbar xed to theIar-Inand movable upwardly and V'downwardly between" said side portions rkand adaptedto engage the. pivctpin for releasablyy locking the coupling elementasad latch bar having va pair of spaced, depending'ddgs each having an inclined edge slidablevoverfthe pivot pin when the parts are, being' oupled-lby endwise movement of the wiperV arnirelat e to ar, saidebar over 'and drop in front ofthe pivot pin,lthe, latch bar being spaced from the top of theA shfeldjland the forward ena'of, the the laten. member {prgjecting beyondA the Sideshf said shield, vrhentlie parts are' interlocked, 'so that said' projectirglend may be lifted by the finger to release the-latch and vdisconnect thecoupling, Y y v ISRAEL NEse'oN.*-

REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecerd iii-*the file offthis patent: f

VUNITED STATES PATENTS i ,Date if' f Number Name Re. 8,925 Potts n '0`ct. .zdf-18519 i 697,682 Smith Apnflrj-IBDZ `2,156,506 1 Marcolivio vMay-12511939 2,170,939 Christen Y Aug.' nase 

